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Showing Respect for BOTH the Canadian and American National Anthems

4/24/10

I am stepping-up this morning to represent the NHL fans who WOULD NEVER BOO WHILE THE CANADIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM IS BEING SUNG! This particular issue goes far, far beyond the game of hockey and I do take it very seriously. To all the prideful Canadians out there – I’m sorry if your glorious National Anthem was booed before the Washington Capitals v. Montreal Canadiens game at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. last night. Even if many your country’s passionate hockey fans booed our American National Anthem when the Capitals were up in Montreal for game 3 and 4; that is absolutely no excuse for Capitals fans to “boo” during your national anthem.

Both of our National Anthems are beautiful pieces of MUSIC and we have chosen these songs to represent our pride and belief in our countries. I do hope that the Washington Capitals wipe the floor with your Montreal Canadiens in game 6 on Monday night, but that’s what hockey fans do – we taunt and we have passion. I may not be Canadian by nationality (I was adopted, so I may have Canadian blood for all know), but I live, eat, sleep, poop, and bleed hockey just like you do up North. I am just as staunch a supporter of my Washington Capitals as you are of your Montreal Canadiens. BUT – none of us have any right to disrespect ANY National Anthem.

I know the all-mighty Lord Stanley’s Cup is at stake. I know we want to throw each other’s team off their game in whatever way we can. I know BOTH of our teams fill the Bell Centre and Verizon Center with red pride. I also know that Washington D.C. is my nation’s capital city and it hurts me as a music-lover, a hockey-lover and as a hard-working American citizen that the Capitals fans in Washington D.C. booed your Canadian National Anthem last night. I am not proud of those people and I do not condone that type of behavior. On behalf of those hockey-loving American nationals who wouldn’t do that to your country’s representative song – we want your hockey team to lose the series but we don’t ever want to “boo” music of any kind, especially a song that means as much to you Canadian nationals as our “Star Spangled Banner” means to us!

ALL hockey fans, of every nation, should remember that every NHL team has players from many different countries who have all united in harmony to win a silver bowl. I can’t speak for any other American, but I can at least state that I only care about who wins the hockey games – not what I can do to disrespect another country. It’s all about the hockey during the playoffs, but the music is important ALL year-long – 24/7/365.

Were you actually at the game last night? The crowd was not booing, they were cheering, and even starting singing the Canadian Anthem halfway through. You could even see a smile on the Caleb Greens face as he was singing and heard the crowd join in. Everyone clapped tremendously and louder than they even did after the Star Spangled Banner. Not sure where the idea that there was booing came from.

I actually found a video on the web of the singing and cheering. You should probably change your story so that the incorrect information is not publicized. The situation was actually positive and opposite of what you described. It was a very special moment to experience in person and showed true respect for one of our country’s great allies.